“It’s disappointing that yet another scare-story, propagated by those known to have strong views against vaping, has been allowed to add to the misinformation campaign about the use of e-cigarettes. These stories ignore the growing body of evidence which shows that vaping is one of the most successful ways to help smokers quit and cited by the respected and independent Public Health England as being 95% less harmful than smoking.

“The great shame about this misleading campaign is that it is likely to put existing smokers off switching to vaping, and lead to them continuing their exposure to far more harmful tobacco. As the largest and most respectable face of the vaping industry in the UK, we will continue to rely on evidence and real people’s experiences, rather than conjecture and supposition to provide the public with the facts.

The public health potential of vaping

A strong consensus has developed between leading and respected health organisations that vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking, and that it could represent one of the biggest opportunities for public health in the 21st century. The quantity and quality of evidence supporting the public health potential of vaping has been increasing dramatically in the last few years and now encompasses the UK’s most recognised academics and public health groups in this area. It is disappointing that this research has been ignored by articles in favour of academics who are based abroad or who appear to have been deliberately selected for their renown of completely opposing settled policy in this area.

In September 2015, thirteen organisations, including Public Health England (PHE) and Cancer Research UK signed a joint statement on vaping. This statement advocated the public health opportunity presented by smokers switching to vaping products, reporting that e-cigarettes are at least “95% less harmful to your health than cigarettes” (E-Cigarettes: an emerging public health consensus, 15 September 2015.This statement was ratified again in July 2016, and in February 2019.

Public Health England released its most recent report into the use of vaping products yesterday. This report found that the UK could accelerate the decline in smoking if more smokers switched completely to vaping. It emphasised recent new evidence that shows using an e-cigarette with Stop Smoking Service support can double your chances of quitting smoking. The report also reiterated that Vaping poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking which vaping contributing to at least 20,000 successful smoking quits per year ().

Vaping and young people

The UKVIA is clear that vaping products are for adult smokers only. Products should never be marketed or sold to under 18s.

However, whilst we take this issue seriously, we are pleased that according to ASH and Public Health England, there is no evidence of youth uptake of vaping products in the UK:

Action on Smoking and Health statistics from August 2018 found that youth (11-18 year-old) use of vaping products in Great Britain is rare and largely confined to those that already smoke cigarettes.

The stats show that just 2% of youths vape at least weekly while another 2% use vaping products occasionally (once a month or less).

Public Health England confirmed yesterday that, we are not seeing a surge in e-cigarette use among young people in Britain. Regular use of vaping products remain low, and rates are very low among those who have never smoked.

The UKVIA is a partnership of the leading and most respected vaping brands, and only allows those who want to maintain high industry standards to be members. That’s why we have recently implemented a new code of conduct which (amongst other things) confirms that:

Members will apply a ‘Challenge 25’ policy in retail environments.

Ensure retail staff a fully age aware trained.

Apply robust safety processes for online sales.

Products should not be designed to appeal specifically to anyone under 18 years old.

Vaping products must only be marketed towards adult smokers or vapers.

We also want to work together as an industry to do more in this area. Vaping has a great opportunity to help more smokers switch to a far less harmful alternative, and this must not be put at risk by any less reputable businesses who seek to apply incorrect business practices. We have a dedicated committee considering this area and what more we can do collectively to maintain confidence in our industry.

Smokers who move over initially try and replicate the cigarette experience in terms of strength, so the average smoker who smokes say 10-20 cigarettes a day will normally start on an 18MG nicotine strength. With the introduction of nicotine salt liquids, the smoother (no throat hit) and quicker delivery of nicotine hit mean they actually are closer to the cigarette experience, similar to the “first cig of the day”. As they migrate to a more powerful device, they tend to lower their nicotine intake and start experimenting with other flavours.

Tony Rolfe from Lumo Liquids

What can happen if I mix liquids in my device?

Mixing liquids in your device enables a vaper to experiment and personalise their vaping experience. Experimenting with flavours can be a very positive and enjoyable experience but one also needs to be mindful that although some flavours will mix well together there are many others that won’t. Mixing will produce a flavour combination based on how the ingredients interact with each other and not the true taste of the liquids being mixed. This can also impact the nicotine strength of the liquid being used and importantly it can also affect the blend and significantly reduce a coils life expectancy, especially if mixing with a higher VG (vegetable glycerin), or particularly sweet liquid.

Christian Mulcahy from Multivape

Is it safe to make my own juice?

Mixing your own juice can be safe if it’s done with care and you take care over the selection of flavours purchased. Under the General Product Safety Regulations suppliers need to conduct tests to ensure their products are safe in use, so if you’re unsure ask your suppliers to demonstrate that their flavours are emissions tested in finished product format.

Damien Bové – Adact Medical

What do I need to know in terms of the difference between vaping and smoking so I can make the transition?

Using an e-cigarette provides a similar experience and closely mimics smoking but there are of course differences a new user will notice. Someone new to vaping may find that they cough a little until they adjust to inhaling a vapour rather than the smoke they have been used to. They may also notice a slight difference in nicotine delivery to the body. A new user will usually try to use an e cigarette in a similar manner to a traditional cigarette going for prolonged lengths of time, such as during working hours, and only using an e-cigarette on a break as an example. Often a new vaper will suck too hard on an e-cigarette and draw the liquid into the coil more quickly than the coil can vaporise which can result in flooding and sometimes spitting from the over wicked coil. They should also understand that an e-liquid will not taste the same as their preferred brand of cigarette and it can take time for their palette to adjust. When using an e-cigarette habits will change. As an example when you light a cigarette you tend to smoke it in a single sitting whereas vapers tend to graze and adjust their intake based on their body’s requirement for nicotine. And because vapers tend to naturally self-regulate they can find that the amount of e-liquid used may increase over time as they reduce the nicotine strength of the liquid they buy.

Christian Mulcahy from Multivape

What flavours have proved successful in helping smokers quit/start on a successful transition?

Smokers who move over initially try and replicate the cigarette experience in terms of taste, so generally they will look at starting on a tobacco or menthol product. As they migrate to a more powerful device they also experiment with other flavours. Bakery is big hit right now with coolade flavours coming in for the summer months.

Tony Rolfe from Lumo Liquids

Which types of devices are best for someone making the transition from smoking to vaping?

Giving up cigarettes isn’t easy. Breaking the cycle by satisfying nicotine cravings is often the key to successfully kicking the habit, and vaping is an excellent way of doing so. Based on feedback, our customers find the most success using cigarette-style devices, also known as ‘cigalikes’, and pod mods.

Cigarette-style devices are small cylindrical vape kits that use screw-on refills known as ‘cartomizers’ which contain the e-liquid (and nicotine). Cigarette-style devices are particularly popular as they’re easy to use and require little investment. You typically only need a battery, a small USB charger and a few cartomizers to get started. Most retailers (ourselves included) supply a starter kit, which contains everything you need in one handy bundle.

Pod mod devices function in a similar way to cigalikes and there are a number of well known brands that sell these.

Pascal Culverhouse of Electric Tobacconist

Does it matter where my e-liquids come from?

It shouldn’t as all products should meet the same safety standards, but be aware there will be exceptions as not all will have the same high level quality procedures and safety compliance, particularly of those associated manufacturers in Europe or North America. Another consideration is on whether you are purchasing an e-liquid with nicotine already mixed in or a zero-nicotine e-liquid. A liquid with nicotine pre-mixed will have had to have provided a significant amount of data in the registration process, where as zero-nicotine (or short-fills) e-liquids can be less regulated at this point. I’d suggest purchasing pre-mixed e-liquids and check for an ECID number which is used to register the product in the EU.

Lee Bryan from Arcus Compliance

How do I know if the vaping gear I’m using is of good quality?

As a rule of thumb it’s better to pay a little more for both hardware and consumables to ensure the quality. Your specialist retailer will have the appropriate testing certification for both the hardware and consumables, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask them whether the product is registered for a TPD notification or has the appropriate RoHS & CE testing and markings? All this data should be available to the retailer.

Damien Bové at Adact Medical

What does the science say about vaping’s impact on my health?

There is a growing body of evidence that shows that vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking. Public Health England say that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking and Cancer Research UK have found that second-hand vapour doesn’t harm those around you. Many smokers are concerned about so-called ‘popcorn lung’, but diacetyl, the chemical linked to this condition, has been banned in the UK.

The House of Commons Science and Technology committee recently conducted a detailed study on the use of e-cigarettes and heard a broad body of evidence. Their report concluded that e-cigarettes provide a lower comparative harm than tobacco smoking. Their full report is available here

Dan Marchant from Vape Club

How Safe is Vaping?

Vaping is a heavily regulated industry in the UK, and that should provide vapers with confidence that so long as they purchase their equipment from reputable outlets, what they’re purchasing will meet the highest safety standards. All UKVIA members abide by a code of practice which requires them to adhere to fully compliant levels of product quality, manufacturing and safety standards.

There is a growing body of evidence that shows that vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking. Public Health England say that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking and Cancer Research UK have found that second-hand vapour doesn’t harm those around you. The chemical that has been linked to so-called ‘popcorn lung’, diacetyl, has been banned in the UK.

Vaping devices sold in the UK have to pass stringent tests, both to be safe and approved for use in the UK, managed by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.